Youth in North America and beyond are heavily connected to social media. By all kinds of research methods, this connection is problematic and has negative consequences physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. That there is a further imminent danger with the introduction of artificial intelligence or AI should not be surprising. Enter “My AI,” Snapchat’s newest feature that is likely to accelerate confusion about a number of issues, including gender identity for questioning teens. Muslim teens included.
A Bit of Background
Launched in 2011, Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media apps worldwide, particularly among young people. Snapchat is an instant messaging smartphone application that allows users to share pictures, videos, and messages with one another that are usually available for a short time before they expire.
According to recent statistics, Snapchat has 363 million daily active users worldwide with ages 15-25 making up 48% of users. In more than 20 countries, Snapchat reaches 90% of the 13-24-year-old population.1
Dangerous Info about Gender Identify
In general terms, adults and children think about artificial intelligence as an objective arbiter of truths. In fact, it is an advanced technology that runs off of a series of algorithms that use real-time data to simulate human intelligence. When a user poses a question to an AI platform, the answer to that question is formed by a data set of contextual information on the topic. This does not ensure that the “answer” to the question is essentially true. Instead, it simply ensures that the answer conforms to prevailing sentiments on the matter.
The My AI feature is permanently pinned at the top of the Snapchat’s friend list and is very difficult to even remove. In that proximity, it is likely to be heavily put to use by users of all ages. And when that comes to the questions and answers surrounding issues related to LGBTQ matters, there can be irreparable harm in the answer, particularly to youth who rely on the advice of technology.
With relation to “gender” narratives, My AI is programmed to give false information that validates a child’s self-defined “gender identity” and reinforces the harmful narrative that kids can “transition” from one sex to another. It asserts the false claim that being a boy or a girl is a “feeling” rather than a fact and that those feelings can override the reality of a person’s biological sex.
For Muslim children, particularly those who are not speaking to their parents or local scholars about their questions and doubts or who may not understand the details about the Islamic guidance on sexuality and gender ethics, the reliance on friends, social media, or even AI for answers can be dangerous. And this concern doesn’t take place in a vacuum. In many public schools across the U.S., guidance counselors and teachers are not required to inform parents about the challenges their children may be expressing about “gender identity.”
So, what is a concerned Muslim parent to do?
Rather than immediately forbidding your child access to social media of all kinds, it is essentially important to educate them about a number of fundamental truths about Islamic guidance on LGBTQ issues.
- Muslims model their thinking and behavior on Islamic guidance provided by the Quran and Sunnah. In contrast, a humanistic worldview (dominant in the Western world) prioritizes individual happiness and pleasure.
- Muslims believe that the purpose of our life is to worship Allah and be obedient to His guidance.
- Muslims believe that gender is determined by Allah at birth and is not fluid or changed by feelings or whims. Furthermore, there is a difference between boys and girls, men and women, and those differences relate to rights and responsibilities.
- According to Islamic guidance, sexual relations are permitted and are considered a blessing within the bounds of marriage, and marriage can only occur between a man and a woman. Any sexual relationships outside of those sanctioned by the Quran and Sunnah between a man and woman are haram or (impermissible).
- Same-sex attractions are feelings and feelings are natural and not haram in and of themselves. These attractions only become a problem when they are acted upon. If a Muslim acts upon these desires, they commit a sin. If Muslims have same-sex desires but do not act upon them because they recognize them as wrong, they are rewarded by Allah for their patience and struggle.
There are a number of other resources that are available to give parents more details to educate about these issues, including a public statement on sexuality and gender ethics in Islam, a comprehensive curriculum for children and young adults, information about parents' rights in public schools, and a wide variety of videos by well-respected Islamic scholars.
End Notes
1 24 Essential Snapchat Statistics You Need to Know in 2023
Further Recommended Reading
- Navigating Differences: Clarifying Sexuality and Gender Ethics in Islam
- Lessons from the Story of Prophet Lut
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions by Muslim Youth
- Understanding our Rights in Public Schools
- Sticky Situations curriculum
Zahirah Lynn Eppard is the managing editor of the Muslim Home parenting newsletter project. As Sound Vision’s Director of Religious Education, she has also spearheaded the production of more than 400 online classes serving children ages 3-12 in the Adam’s World and Colors of Islam Clubs. Eppard has also worked in the field of education as a teacher, homeschooler, and Islamic school principal, as a marital and crisis intervention counselor, and as a lobbyist, and social justice activist. She lives with her husband, children, and grandchildren in Maryland
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